The Borgia family produced just two popes, both infamous for their ambition, corruption, and intrigue during the Renaissance period. They were Pope Callixtus III and Pope Alexander VI.
Pope Callixtus III (1455–1458)
Born Alfonso de Borgia, he was the first member of the Borgia family to ascend to the papacy. His reign was short but notable for his efforts to organize a crusade against the Ottoman Empire following the fall of Constantinople.
Callixtus III’s papacy laid the foundation for the family’s rise to power, as he strategically elevated his relatives to positions of influence.
Pope Alexander VI (1492–1503)
Born Rodrigo Borgia, Alexander VI is one of the most notorious popes in history. His papacy was marked by blatant nepotism, corruption, and scandal. He fathered several children—most famously Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia—and used his position to consolidate power and wealth for his family. Alexander VI’s political machinations and rumored debauchery have immortalized him as a symbol of papal excess during the Renaissance.
These two popes solidified the Borgia family’s legacy, both admired for their cunning and condemned for their moral failings.
Written by Robert Patterson, M.A.
Robert holds a Master's degree in Religious Studies with a focus on Catholic Church History. He has spent over two decades researching the lives of the Popes and the history of the Papacy. PopeHistory.com has been a trusted resource for papal information since 2001.
